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About

EFP Title

Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) to Test Alternative Fishing Practices that Target Highly Migratory Species (HMS) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Photo: Pacific Fishery Management Council

Annual Highlights

Stats title

HMS Fisheries in 2024


Total Catch

5,066 mt

metric tons of catch

Exvessel Revenue

$ 21 million

estimated ex-vessel value

Vessels

347

vessels fishing

Dealers

188

dealers operating

Text

About EFP

About

Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the National Oceanic and Atmosphereic Adminstration (NOAA) Fisheries Regional Administrator may authorize exempted fishing permits (EFPs) to allow exploratory fishing practices that would otherwise be prohibited under existing regulations. The purpose of issuing EFPs for HMS fishing operations is to test alternative fishing practices in Federal waters, collect information useful for assessing the type and extent of interactions with protected species and non-target finfish, evaluate the economic viability of operations, and inform future management decisions.

NOAA Fisheries reviews EFP applications pursuant to regulations at 50 CFR 660.745 and other applicable federal laws (e.g., Endangered Species Act). NOAA Fisheries may coordinate with other management entities (e.g., State resource agencies or Regional Fishery Management Councils) during the federal review process and, if and when, considering changes in fisheries management or regulations. Monitoring and data collection during EFP operations can produce valuable datasets for assessing catch, environmental impacts, as well as economic factors associated with EFP fishing activities.

The general fishing practice specifications are summarized by permitted EFP fishing configuration.

Contact

Contact

For questions about EFPs, contact Chris Fanning with NOAA Fisheries-West Coast Region at:

chris.fanning@noaa.gov

(562) 980-4198

Present and Future EFPs

Modified Longline

Title

Modified Longline

About

West Coast modified longline is a fishing practice similar to fishing gear used in the offshore Hawaii longline fisheries, which generally consists of a horizontal mainline that exceeds one nm in length and is supported at regular intervals by vertical float lines connected to surface floats. Fishing depth is determined by the length of the float lines and branch lines, and the amount of sag or weight to sink the mainline between floats. Descending from the mainline are branch lines, each ending in a single, baited circle hook. EFP fishing using WC modified longline gear would be fished in both shallow-setting (above 100 m depth) and deep-setting configurations (below 100 m depth). West Coast modified longline is limited by the number of hooks that can be fished in any given set and areas of operation.

Midwater Snap Gear

Title

Midwater Snap Gear

About

Mid-water Snap Gear is a new fishing practice, which generally consists of a mainline that is suspended horizontally and extends up to 5 nm in the water column and supported at regular intervals by vertical float lines connected to surface floats. Fishing depth is determined by the length of the float lines and branch lines. Descending from the mainline are branch lines, each ending in a single, baited circle hook. MWSG would be fished in both shallow-setting (above 100 m depth) and deep-setting configurations (below 100 m depth). Midwater snap gear is limited by the number of hooks that can be fished in any given set, soak times, and areas of operation. The addition of “snaps” to the configuration is intended to allow for gear tending during fishing operations.

Data Information Text

Exempted fishing permits have been issued and are out fishing for the season ending on March 31, 2026. Check back after the fishing season is over for data summaries

Deep-set Extended Linked Buoy Gear

Title

Deep-set Extended Linked Buoy Gear

About

Extended linked buoy gear (XLBG) is a new fishing practice that was designed to resemble the linked configuration of deep-set buoy gear (DSBG) deep-set buoy gear (DSBG) that was authorized in 2023; however, there are some key differences including in the way the gear can be tended, the weights used, and the number of hooks per section. This configuration is also an "extended" version which consists of a mainline that is suspended horizontally and extends up to 10 nm in the water column and supported at regular intervals by vertical float lines connected to surface floats. Fishing depth is determined by the length of the float lines and branch lines. Descending from the mainline are branch lines, each ending in a single, baited hook. XLBG would only be fished in a deep-setting configuration (at depths greater than 100 m).

Data Information Text

Exempted fishing permits have been issued and are out fishing for the season ending on March 31, 2026. Check back after the fishing season is over for data summaries

Nightset Linked Buoy Gear

Title

Nightset Linked Buoy Gear

About

Linked DSBG was authorized under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species Fisheries in 2023 with a gear definition, inclusive of an active tending, and implementing regulations specified at 50 CFR 660 Subpart K that require sets to be made during the day. Nightset linked buoy gear is the same configuration, but can be deployed at night (exempted from the day-time requirement). Each link consists of a U-shaped configuration having 2 vertical lines suspending a horizontal line in between to which the 3 hooks are snapped on. The vertical lines are kept taunt by 8 lb. weights at the bottom of each. The configuration is limited to 10 pieces of gear including 30 hooks total. Fishing may be more directed towards bluefin tuna than swordfish at night.

Data Information Text

Exempted fishing permits have been issued and are out fishing for the season ending on March 31, 2026. Check back after the fishing season is over for data summaries

Nightset Standard Buoy Gear

Title

Nightset Standard Buoy Gear

About

The gear used for night-set standard deep-set buoy gear has the exact same configuration that was authorized in 2023 for making sets during the day. A vertical line suspended via at least 3 buoys at the surface, one being a 49 pound. non compressible float, an inflatable ball float and a bullet strike indicator buoy and an 8 pound. weight at the bottom. Generally one hook is fished, but fishers are allowed to use up to 3 hooks. It is limited to 10 pieces of gear with up to 30 hooks total. Target species may be more directed towards bluefin tuna than swordfish at night.

Data Information Text

Exempted fishing permits have been issued and are out fishing for the season ending on March 31, 2026. Check back after the fishing season is over for data summaries

Past EFPs

2018 to 2023 Linked Deep-set Buoy Gear

Title

2018 to 2023 Linked Deep-set Buoy Gear

About

Each piece of linked DSBG consists of two sets of vertical lines, each about 1320 feet (400 meters) long, suspended by floats and connected via a horizontal line on which a maximum of three gangions with baited hooks are attached. All three hooks are placed at a target depth of between 825 - 1320 feet (250 - 400 meters). The gear has a U-shape and can be linked up to other pieces of linked gear. Under the past EFPs, up to ten links could be set at any one time, for a maximum of 30 hooks per set.

DSBG was first used off the U.S. West Coast in a series of research fishing trials that began in 2011. The Pflegler Institute of Environmental Research (PIER) conducted the trials in consultation with the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center. These research trials indicated that DSBG could be used to selectively target and harvest swordfish. In 2015, NMFS issued five EFPs to PIER to further test DSBG. In 2018, this expanded to include EFPs for the linked DSBG configuration. Between 0 and 5 vessels fished linked DSBG each year under EFPs until the gear was authorized as a legal gear type in September 2023.

Total Landings

Total Inflation-Adjusted Ex-Vessel Revenue

Catch Composition

Disclaimer: Note that these data include observer records as well as supplemental information from fishermen's logbooks and fish tickets. The logbook and landings data are "integrated" with observer data to fill gaps coming from unobserved sets.

Ex-Vessel Revenue by Species (Inflation-Adjusted)

Number of Vessels and Dealers

2015 to 2023 Standard Deep-set Buoy Gear

Title

2015 to 2023 Standard Deep-set Buoy Gear

About

Each piece of standard DSBG consists of one non-compressible float, one soft buoy, and one indicator buoy which is connected directly to a monofilament vertical mainline (typically 300 meters long) attached to a weight at the bottom. Up to three baited hooks may be attached to each buoy. Standard DSBG hooks must be deployed at depths below 90 meters. One full complement of standard DSBG consists of up to ten individual pieces of gear, all of which must remain within a radius of no more than 5 nautical miles from the vessel.

DSBG was first used off the U.S. West Coast in a series of research fishing trials that began in 2011. The Pflegler Institute of Environmental Research (PIER) conducted the trials in consultation with the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center. These research trials indicated that DSBG could be used to selectively target and harvest swordfish. In 2015, NMFS issued five EFPs to PIER to further test DSBG. In 2018, this expanded to up to 60 EFP permits for standard DSBG issued each year. Between 24 and 29 vessels fished standard DSBG each year under EFPs until the gear was authorized as a legal gear type in September 2023.

Total Landings

Total Inflation-Adjusted Ex-Vessel Revenue

Catch Composition

Disclaimer: Note that these data include observer records as well as supplemental information from fishermen's logbooks and fish tickets. The logbook and landings data are "integrated" with observer data to fill gaps coming from unobserved sets.

Ex-Vessel Revenue by Species (Inflation-Adjusted)

Number of Vessels and Dealers

2019 Longline Gear

Title

2019 Longline Gear

About

In June 2019, NOAA Fisheries issued a Longline EFP for two vessels to target swordfish and other marketable HMS using shallow-set longline (SSLL) and deep-set longline (DSLL) gear in the U.S. West Coast exclusive economic zone. The terms and conditions of the EFP required 100 percent observer coverage, mitigation measures to reduce protected species interactions, and limits on interactions with loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles.

The permitted vessels undertook eight fishing trips starting on September 5, 2019, and ending on December 10, 2019. For a summary of effort and catch under this EFP see the fisherman’s EFP report.

Additional Fishery Information:

Available Data

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